1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to drug compositions. It relates in particular to drug compositions in the form of tablets containing the glucosamine polysaccharide chitin as a disintegrant.
2. Prior Art
A tablet disintegrant is a substance, or a mixture of substances, added to a tablet to facilitate its break up or disintegration after administration. Starches are the most widely used tablet disintegrants. In addition to starches, a large variety of materials have been used and reported to be effective as tablet disintegrants. Such substances include veegum HV [Gross, H. M., and C. H. Becker. "A Comparative Study of Tablet Disintegrating Agent," J. Amer. Pharm. Assoc., Sci. Ed., 41:157 (1952).]; methylcellulose, agar [Firouzabadian, A., and C. I. Huyck. "Some Recently Developed Chemicals as Disintegrating Agents for Compressed Tablets," J. Amer. Pharm. Assoc., Sci. Ed., 43:248 (1954). ]; bentonite [Granberg, C. B., and B. E. Benton. "The Use of Dried Bentonite As A Disintegrating Agent in Compressed Tablets of Thyroid," J. Amer. Pharm. Assoc., Sci. Ed., 36:648 (1949). ]; cellulose product [Fakouhi, T. A., et al. "Wood Products, Corncob, and Cellulose as Tablet Disintegrating Agents," J. Pharm. Sci., 52:700 (1963). ]; [Bequette, R. J., and C. L. Huyck. "Tablet Disintegration with Cellulose," Drug Cosmetic Ind., 81:166 (1957).]; natural sponge [Crisafi, R. C., and C. H. Becker. "A Study of Natural Sponge As A Disintegrating Agent in Compressed Tablets," J. Amer. Pharm. Assoc., Sci. Ed., 47:363 (1958). ]; cation-exchange resin [Van Abbe, N. J., and J. T. Rees. "Amberlite Resin XE-88 As A Tablet Disintegrant," J. Amer. Pharm. Assoc., Sci. Ed., 47:487 (1958). ]; alginic acid [Gerding, T. G., and Dekay, H. G. "Alginic Acid and Its Derivatives as Binding and Disintegrating Agents in Tablet Manufacture," Drug Std., 23:132 (1955). ]; and guar gum [Eatherton, L. E., et al. "Guar Gum As A Binder and Disintegrator for Certain Compressed Tablets," Drug Std., 23:42 (1955). ] among others.
Notwithstanding the asserted efficacy of these and similar materials as tablet disintegrants, they are found wanting for one or more reasons, of which the following are exemplary: high cost; merely moderate efficiency; potential deterioration resulting in decreased utility after long periods of storage; possible adverse effects upon the pharmaceutically-active ingredient comprising the major component of the tablet. pg,3